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window boxes are a wash out this year
I live in a flat with a balcony and love containers and window boxes
I grew everything from seed this year to cut the cost so it was months of work and I have to say looking today half way through August I've finally admittied to myself its now too late for them to look anything - just stringy marigolds and loads of soil showing and one flower at a time
It just never got to a point this year where it was a breath taking show of colour - anyone else had a disappointing year - lets MOAN
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I agree it has been a tough year for those of us who like to grow from seed, but I have to admit I have cheated and been to a local nursery and bought lots of reduced plants.
I could not face the empty containers.
As I sow seeds for the veggie plot and seeds for the garden I buy in trailing pelargoniums for the baskets and window boxes and they've been superb, despite the lack of heat and light especially through June and July. However, the seedling antirrhinums I was given by a friend have struggled in the baskets and the ones I put out in the garden have taken ages to get going and , though finally in flower, they've not bushed up as they usually do so there are nice weed opportunity gaps between them.
yes Kate I did the same thing in the end - which sort of cancelled out the economising of the seed growing! My garden centre were selling things like begonias usually $3.99 for £1 each so I filled the gaps with them - still wasn't the usual display of lush loveliness I'm used to though - and every summer has its challenges but this year has been something else
I did two boxes of marigolds which I've never grown before - expecting two solid blocks of lovely orange by my front door - they were yellow leaved from day one (*and still are!*) and have flowered one flower at a time! They're actually an eyesore to be really brutal
[do they like it dry? I've been watering them every day so I wonder if they struggled with being too wet? Whatever it was they have had a miserable summer]
It's lovely to grow from seed but this year I feel alittle bit like all the mess and palaver from February onwards wasn't worth it
Misery loves company
thanks for all these lovely replies I'm so happy that you are all struggling and having problems too - it makes me feel so much better!
grai I am also confused by marigolds as I thought that they were hardy but mine have done nothing. The good news is that the snap dragons that I sowed 3 years ago are still going strong and have had their best year yet, I am also having a lovely display of 3 year old scabious. I did autumn sown sweet peas and they have done well but my cosmos are miserable. Everyday I go out and bin some seedlings that have rotted or given up hope.
And it is raining again.
Now my marigolds, sown late last summer have been brill! Star performers this year.
Bought some more seeds this morning, will sow this week I think, & hope to collect my own at the end of September.
Much of everything else sown has been eaten by slimey so-n-sos &/or mice!
I haven't known a year as bad recently. This is the 4-5th rotten summer up here, so have had enough. J.